Dual autoclave



Aug 29, 1967 D BEECHER ET AL 3,338,663

DUAL AUTOCLAVE Filed March 24, 1965 R 2 I AM 5 1 E ELLJLJLIL on mm 3 M mm 2 mm \L A T a L s m5 AMU t 3 \IN mm a EQUU W 0. B o M mm N J m 7 0m mm L W 255 h Ai INVENTORS DONALD J. BEECHER ALBERT F. BRUGGER United States Patent 3,338,663 DUAL AUTOCLAVE Donald J. Beecher, Erie, Pa., and Albert F. Brugger,

Rockville, Md, assignors to American Sterilizer Comparry, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 442,454 Claims. (Cl. 21-98) This invention relates to sterilizers and, more particularly, to the combination of multiple sterilizer units with control means therefor.

The combination sterilizer disclosed herein is essentially two sterilizer shells mounted one above the other in a unit enclosed in a single cabinet. The two sterilizers are so mounted and constructed that they can be heated by either electric immersion units in the steam jackets or by direct steam piped into the jackets from an external source. Thus each steam jacket has its own steam generator. The steam jackets are cross connected through valves and these cross connections will permit the steam jackets to be used as generators to selectively furnish steam to either chamber or to furnish steam to both chambers simultaneously. This provides maximum flexibility and protection when the unit is used as a field sterilizer.

Specifically, the sterilizers have the following advantages over single unit sterilizers:

(1) Steam can be generated in one jacket for use in in the other sterilizer.

(2) Steam can *be generated in one jacket for use in both sterilizers simultaneously.

(3) Steam can be generated in both jackets for use in either sterilizer. This increases the supply of steam to the chamber in use, thus bringing the load up to sterilizing temperature more rapidly.

(4) If heaters and/or heat controls for one sterilizer are inoperative, that sterilizer will still be operable by using steam generated by the other sterilizer.

The foregoing advantages take place with electrically heated immersion heating units used in the jackets.

When steam is supplied from an external source, if one of the steam pressure regulators is inoperative, the other regulator can be used to control the pressure for both sterilizers.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved combination sterilizer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination sterilizer made up of a multiplicity of sterilizer units connected together by valve means in such a way that the sterilizer chambers and jackets can be selectively operated, either in series or in parallel with each other.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combination of sterilizer units which have electrically heated means and can be selectively heated by steam and have valve means for selectively connecting their jackets and chambers in parallel or disconnecting each from the other.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an outline view of the combination sterilizers according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the two sterilizers connected according to the invention.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, the sterilizer units and 11 have chambers 12 and 13 and steam jackets 14 and 15 respectively which are the type of autoclave commonly used in sterilizers and fa- 3,338,663 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 miliar to those skilled in the art. The chambers 11 and 12 are shown with conventional doors 51 and 52 and controls 53 and 54. The chamber 12 may be considered the first chamber and chamber 13 the second chamber. Jacket 14 can be considered to be the first jacket and jacket 15 the second jacket to distinguish them from each other for purposes of this application. The first jacket 14 may be heated by electric immersion unit 16 which may be connected to a source of electrical power by suitable wires 17 and the second sterilizer unit 11 has electric immersion unit 18 in its second jacket 15 which may be connected to a suitable source of electrical power by wires 19.

A source of steam of suitable temperature and pressure may be supplied to the jackets 14 and 15 by pipes 20 and 21. Pipe 20 is connected to the steam jacket 14 through throttling valve 22 and steam valve 23. Steam from pipe 21 is connected to the jacket 15 through throttling valve 24 and steam valve 25. Suitable drains for the first chamber and the first jacket are shown at 26 and 27 and similar drains for the second chamber 13 and the second jacket 15 are shown at 28 and 29.

The first jacket 14 may be connected to the second chamber 13 through valve 30 and the first chamber 12 may be connected to the second jacket 15 through valve 31. The first jacket 14 may be connected to the first chamber 12 through valve 32 and the second jacket 15 may be connected to the second chamber 13 through valve 33. Both jackets 14 and 15 and chambers 12 and 13 may be connected together through valve 34 when valves 30 and 31 are open.

The first chamber has a bafile 35 to deflect steam when it enters and the second chamber has a similar baflle 36. Valve 40 will admit outside air through filter 37 when valve 40 is open and valve 41 will admit air through filter 39 when valve 41 is open.

It will be noted that when either of the sterilizer units is to be operated by electrical heat, steam can be supplied to either chamber 12 or chamber 13 from both jackets 14 and 15. For example, if chamber 12 is to be operated, the electrical current can be turned on to heating units 16 and 18 and valve 32 may be opened, connecting the first jacket 14 to the first chamber 12 and valve 31 can be opened, connecting the second jacket 15 to the first chamber 12. Thus, chamber 12 will be provided with a double supply of steam. If it is desired to operate chamber 12 with only one steam supply, the valve 31 may be allowed to remain closed.

In like manner, the chamber 13 can be operated from a double source of steam by opening valve 33 and valve 30. If the two chambers are to be operated in parallel, both heating units 16 and 18 can be turned on and valve 34 can be opened. This will provide a uniform steam pressure in both chambers 12 and 13. A similar setting of valves will be used when an external supply of steam is to be used instead of electric heat.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a first sterilizer unit and a second sterilizer unit,

said first sterilizer unit having a first jacket and a first chamber,

said second sterilizer unit having a second jacket and a second chamber, heating means for each said jacket,

3 4 a first conduit having a first valve therein connecting 5. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said first said first jacket to said second chamber, chamber is disposed above the soond chamber. a second conduit having a second valve therein connecting said second jacket to said first chamber, References Cited a third conduit having a third' valve therein connecting said first jacket to said first chamber, and

UNITED STATES PATENTS a fourth conduit having a fourth valve therein connect- 2 2 ing said second jacket to said second chamber. 733673 7/1903 i 2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein 2 526974 10/1950 Shi said heating means comprises electrical heating means 10 2885294 5/1959 Largon at T in each said jacket. 3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein steam FOREIGN PATENTS valve means is provided for connecting a supply of steam 5 0 11/1937 Great Britain to said first jacket and to said second jacket. 548,139 9/1942 Great Britain 4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein a fifth 15 conduit having a fifth valve therein is provided connect- MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner. ing said first conduit to said second conduit, whereby said chambers are connected in parallel. ZATARGA Asslsmnt Examiner 

1. IN COMBINATION, A FIRST STERILIZER UNIT AND A SECOND STERILIZER UNIT, SAID FIRST STERILIZER UNIT HAVING A FIRST JACKET AND A FIRST CHAMBER, SAID SECOND STERILIZER UNIT HAVING A SECOND JACKET AND A SECOND CHAMBER, HEATING MEANS FOR EACH SAID JACKET, A FIRST CONDUIT HAVING A FIRST VALVE THEREIN CONNECTING SAID FIRST JACKET TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER, A SECOND CONDUIT HAVING A SECOND VALVE THEREIN CONNECTING SAID SECOND JACKET TO SAID FIRST CHAMBER, 